A Different Beginning
by lacinda
Summary: This is what happens when a thousand plus year old man doesn't leave a young child alone with interesting and breakable antiques.
1. Chapter 1

Disney's Sorcerers Apprentice AU

Dave walked into the strange store with the weird antiques. He looked across the cramped floor un able to see the slip of paper Becky wrote on. Sighing, he went even deeper into the store when he tripped knocking down several antiques. He feel on the floor knocking the breath out of him. As he looked up he say a man with in a leather duster striating what he had just knocked down.

"Child are you always this clumsy?" asked the man as he reached down to help Dave up. Dave gulped as he nodded his head up and down. The man smiled, "Would you like to see something unique?"

Dave could only grin with a sigh of relief, he wasn't in trouble. His mom would kill him if she'd have to pay for a bunch of broken antiques.

The man, who still hadn't told him his name, guided him with a hand on his shoulder to the glass counter. Dave watched as the man went behind the counter and brought out a simple wooden box. After he sit it down, he spoke, "Go on open it."

Biting his lip, Dave opened the box finding a metal dragon. He looked up at the man and with his encouragement picked it up. He held it in the palm of his hand when it came alive and stretched like a cat.

Dave laughed as it moved around on his palm. He turned his palm over as the dragon walked. Then all of a sudden it's tail curled around his middle finger and it settled there with its wings folded.

"How did it do that," he asked in wonder.

"Magic, it did it be magic and because you have magic in you," said the man.

"I do?"

"Yes, Ow yes and magic like any skill has to be trained. I am Balzazar Blake and you young child are now my apprentice. Now tell me my young apprentice do you have a name or should I give you one."

Dave gulped, "I'm Dave, but I don't know if my mom will let me learn magic."

Mr. Blake grinned, "There's no harm in asking, now is there. Let me worry about that." Blake came out behind the counter and placed his hands on Dave's shoulders turning him towards the back of the store. "You must be hungry child, lets have some lunch and then I'll drive you home."

Dave was to busy admiring his new ring and thinking of the wonders he would learn, to pay attention to the front door locking by it self and the blinds in the windows being drawn. As he entered the back room he never heard his teacher yelling from the street for her missing student.

* * *

Dave yawned as he finished his glass of milk. He felt sleepy after listening to Mr. Blake talking. He needed to put his head down for just a minute and then he'd go home.

Blake removed the plate from in front of Dave as the child sleepily laid his head down. He watched as the child fell into a deep slumber.

He frowned things were so different now a days. He remembered when he was first apprenticed to Merlin. The old man simply gave his father a purse of small coins and the peasant was content that his son would be taken care of and he'd have one less mouth to feed. Blake didn't think badly of his father that was the way things were down and not only did it benefit the rest of the family but he never went hungry again.

But now if he tried that he'd be thrown in jail and thought the worst for it.

But the child had to be taught. He stood and walked around the table. He knelt and lifted the child in his arms. He wasn't sure how he would handle things but his responsibility to his apprentice was unwavering. He would put the child to bed and let him sleep as he pondered this problem.

* * *

As he walked into the bedroom he magically turned down the bed. He laid his precious burden down and quickly removed his shoes. With a wave of his hand the child's clothes changed into pajamas, he then tucked him into the bed.

Blake sat on the edge of the bed, "I've waited nearly a thousand years for you child. The world needs you but the world has changed so much that a price must be paid. Even a century ago it would not have seemed such a scarifies to you but now, lets see what you will be sacrificing." He waved his hand above the child's face and in but a few moments the millennia old man new the entire decade of life Dave had lived. Blake's face hardened, "Not such a sacrifice as I thought child. Your father shall not lay a hand on you again and as far as your mother. Well, you will remember her fondly, I will not take that away from you."

Blake waved his hand again and Dave began to dream. He dreamed he was on a dirt road that forked off. To his left was his father, he was angry again. His mom was behind him ringing her hands, she had her worry face on. He looked to his right. There was Mr. Blake he was knelling in the path with laughter in his eyes. His arms were open and inviting. Dave looked back to his mom, her face was set. Dave new better than to argue with that face and then she smiled and he saw her mouth move but couldn't hear her. And then he did but it came from a long way off. "I love you, honey, go on. I'll always love you no matter what." Dave turned to the right path and ran to Mr. Blake, jumping into his arms. "He'll not hurt you again child. I'll look after you."

Blake nodded his head as Dave settled into a deep peaceful sleep. He stood and walked out of the room.

* * *

Blake made his way into Dave's old house. No one could see him or hear him. There was only one soul in the house and he made his way to were she lay on the couch. She was sleeping fitfully as he waved his hand over her face. She to dreamed, at first a nightmare were her son was being prayed upon and then there was a light. Her Dave was safe. She knew this now, She dreamed of packing his bags and sending him off to live with a cousin that morning. Some one that could look after her sensitive child and would never raise a hand against him. The cousin would collect Dave on his field trip and her husband would never find Dave. Not even his cop buddies would be able to help him. Dave was safe.

Blake walked out of the room and headed up the stairs to pack Dave's favorite things and much needed clothes as the woman on the couched slipped into a peaceful dream.

* * *

Blake walked into his store in a hurry. He placed Dave's bag on the counter and turned to his miss of a store. He brought up his hand s and released his will. With in moments everything in the building began to pack itself a way At first into crates and then as a the crates filled one after the other they shrank into almost building block size and put themselves in a simple wooden box as big as a music box that never ran out of room.

Nodding his head Blake took Dave's bag and headed up stairs. He walked into his bedroom. Everything was packing here as well but nothing disturbed the bed were Dave was sleeping.

Blake put the bag on the now bare floor and walked to the bed. He drew back the bed clothes and waved his hand over the child. His pajamas changed to jeans and a t-shirt that were different colors from what he wore before. He changed the tennis shoes before putting them on Dave. They were now dress shoes that were more comfortable than they looked. He picked Dave up and grabbed the bag from the floor and walked out as the bed shrank and was packed away as well. As Blake walked down the stairs the last of the boxes were packed away and the simple wooden box flew towards Blake. "Into the bag," he said walking towards the door. The bag unzipped and the box tucked itself away as Blake shut the door.

The sign disappeared on the store front as Blake buckled the child into his car. He placed the bag in the boot. As he pulled away in the afternoon sun he looked into the rearview mirror. A Cop car pulled in front of his old building. He smiled and turn to Dave who was just waking up.

"Sir, I had a strange dream."

"Did you now."

Dave nodded his head, "Do you really now my Mom."

"We had a very important conversation about you."

"I'm going to live with you now and dad won't find us."

Blake smiled kindly at Dave, "It my job to look after you."

Dave yawned as he nodded in agreement, "Were are we going."

"Were would you like to go."

"Anywhere?" Dave asked.

"Anywhere."

"I always wanted to see England."

Blake chuckled, "Some how I'd new you'd say that."

* * *

Chapter 2 - What happed back in New York

The teacher yelled for David, where could he have gotten off to. She new they needed my chaperons but it was just a day trip. She was beginning to get worried. She began rounding the rest of the kids up and took another head count. Only Dave was missing, she herded them back to the bus and had the bus driver call dispatch and relayed the news directly to the school, one of her kids were missing and it wasn't like him to run off.

When they got back to the school a few other teachers met the class and took over till their parents could come get them. She was told to head to the principle office to meet the cops.

Two patrol offices met her and received the description of David. She told them he answered to Dave and were he was last spotted. They asked her to go with them, Dave might answer to a friendly voice. She told them again that he wasn't likely to run off. But she got the feeling they didn't believe her.

* * *

They pulled up on the street were one of the kids said they saw him running. They knocked on the business all but one allowed them to look around.

The other business described the owner of the antique store as being a bit creepy. The patrol offices called it in to dispatch. It took an hour for a Detective to get there with a search warrant. By that time the sun was already setting and Dave's parents still hadn't been told.

The cops busted down the door and charged in. They found it empty with dust covering the floors.

* * *

They questioned the other businesses again. One was able to shed some light on the subject. The store must have closed there was not much business now a days and seems it was never busy there no one noticed when it closed.

The cops were empty handed and the Detective headed for the parents home. When the teacher gave them the address the detective blanched. This was a cops kid that went missing, he called his superiors.


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

Balthazar guided the car through traffic on their way to the airport.

Dave turned from the window he was looking out of and looked at his new guardian, "Sir, how are we going to get to England?" he asked.

Balthazar smiled and took a quick look at Dave, "By airplane, which reminds me we need to do something about the way you look."

"Why?" asked Dave with a funny look on his face.

Balthazar answered, "Your Mom knows your going with me but your Dad will probably send out pictures to the transportation hubs to look for you."

Dave nodded his head, "That makes since."

"So Dave, what do you want to look like but I have to causen you. What ever we decide on. That is what you will be for quite some time. So for example, if you pretend to be a girl then you'll be one for a number of years." said Balthazar with a perfectly straight face.

Dave screwed up his face, "Why would I pretend to be a girl?"

Smiling Balthazar answered, "Because that would be the last thing your father would be looking for."

"Ow," said Dave. He turned in his seat and asked Balthazar very seriously, "Do I have to be a girl?"

Laughing Balthazar shook his head no, "Only if you really wanted to but I think that would be a bit Extreme."

"A lot Extreme if you asked me," said Dave with a look of relief on his face.

Still smiling Balthazar suggested Dave pretend to be younger behaps about five years old.

"Why that young?" asked Dave.

"You'll be able to start school and be able to be with the same kids for quite some time. But it will also allow you to concentrate on learning magic with out have to worry about your mundane schooling."

Dave pouted and complained, "But I'd have to be around younger kids all the time and do kiddy stuff."

Balthazar frowned, this was going to be a touchy subject he thought, "Then how about you don't go to school and if any one asks will say your home schooled."

Dave gave a very put upon sigh and shouted, "I don't want to be five!"

Balthazar gripped the car wheel, "Dave I want you to think very carefully. You can be a five year old boy or a five year old girl."

Dave took in a lung full of air and screamed.


	3. Chapter 3

"By all that is merciful, child stop screaming. Did I not tell you, you could decide. If you go to school it must be as a five year old or you can be tutored at the age you are now." said Balthazar.

"You threatened to turn me into a girl!," screamed Dave.

"Dave remind me to show you Monty Python, your since of humor needs to expand if your to survive the British school yard."

"I don't understand?," hiccupped Dave as he slowly calmed down.

"In a nut shell, Dave, I'm an old man who has forgotten how to interact with a child." said Balthazar. He turned to Dave as he finished. Seeing the confused look on his face he explained further.

"Dave, you are going to have to teach me how to talk to a ten year old."

Dave nodded, "I think I might need help to do that."

Balthazar laughed and Dave smiled at him. They soon pulled into the airport parking garage. Balthazar turned the engine off and turned to Dave.

"Dave, I know this is hard. It has been a long time since I was a child but I will look after you, care for you, teach you and protect you with all of my being. There will be some trial and error but we will learn together. In England you will be my ward. That means that I am your legal guardian but not related by blood. If it wasn't for modern DNA test's I would call you my son or nephew but we will go with the truth. That I am your godfather."

"You are?" asked Dave.

Balthazar smiled, "Generally you would have to put Fairy in front of it but yes your Ancestor gave me your guardianship making me your Fairy Godfather."

Dave laughed. As his laughs turned to giggles Balthazar continued.

"We will have a house in the country. I will put spells on it so no one will pay much attention to it and I will tutor you and teach you magic."

Dave frowned, "There won't be other kids to play with?"

"In a couple months time," said Balthazar, "I will have completed a charm so you can safely play with the local village children. Is this acceptable to you, Dave."

Dave nodded but then stopped with a questioning look on his face, "What will we say about my family?" he asked.

"That they are gone," said Balthazar sadly.

With that Balthazar got out of the car and walked around to help Dave out as he had trouble with the door. Dave put his right hand in Balthazar's left as the man got a bag out of the boot.

Balthazar squeezed Dave's hand, "Would you like to see a bit of magic?"

Dave nodded his head.

"Look at the car," said Balthazar. As Dave watched the car shrank until it was the size of a match car. It then floated until it was in front of Dave. Dave felt his hand being squeezed again. He looked up to his new guardian who nodded at the car. Smiling Dave grabbed the car and the two of them turned and headed to England.

* * *

The End

* * *

Maybe

* * *

Or Not


End file.
